John Ross: Address to a General Council of the Cherokee Nation

(1839)

Document Text

Thro. the misterious dispensations of providence we have been permitted to meet in General Council on the border of the great plains of the West. Altho, many of us have for a series of years past been separated, yet, we have not and cannot lose sight of the fact, that we are all of the household of the Cherokee family and of one blood. We have already met, shook hands and conversed together. In recognising and embracing each other as Countrymen, friends and relations, Let us kindle our social fire and take measures for cementing our reunion as a nation, by establishing the...

Source: Reprinted from The Papers of Chief John Ross: Volume I 1807–1839, Volume II...